Reversible fulcrum



June 17 1924. 1,498374 w. c. HEDGcQcK REVERSIBLE FULCRUM Filed Aug. 13. 1921 Patentecl June 17, 1924.

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wrnnrruvrc.` HEnGcocK, or CHICAGO,l ILLrno'i's', As's'rGNon 'ro'AMEnIcA-srnnr.

FouNnRIns, or cHroAGo, rLLrNoIs, a conronarron o'rf NEW J-nsnY.

nnvnnsiBLn FULCRUM.

Application filcd'iti`1gust 13,l 1921.' Serial No. 492,030.

T 0 all 107mm it may oonaern Be it known that I, VVILLIAM C. HEDG- oooK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in -Reversible Fulcrums, of which the following is a specification;

This invention relates lto brake beams and more particularly to reversible fulcrums forming a part' thereof. I i

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and eflicient reversible fulcrum for brake beams which 'will satisfactorily answer the requirements for afulcrum which may be used right-handor left-hand and at the same time prevent the existence of lost motion longitudinally of the fulcrum body and properly perform its function as a strut of the brake beam truss. i

A further object isto provide a multipiece reversible fulcrum which may be made in part or entirely by forging and in which the parts cooperate to meet all the requirements of service fconditions.

These and other objects are accomplished' by means of the arrangement disclosed on the accompanying sheet of drawings, in

which- Figure 1 is of a brake beam' embodyingmy invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevationzof the' same showing the tension and compression members in section; i

Figure '3 is a sectional view taken in the plane of line 3-8 of Figure 2 showing means for limiting reversible movements of the fulcrum body;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the plane of the same line 3-3 of Figure 2 and showing the fulcrum body in one of its limiting positions;

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are fragmentary top plan views of a brake beam showing modified means for attaching the fulcrum body to the compression member;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevation of a fulcrum body showing modified means for connecting the fulcrum body to an associated saddle member; and

Figures 9 and 10 are fragmentary top plan views of other modifications showing connections between the fulcrum body and tension member of the brake beam,

a fragmentary top plan view.

The various novel features of ythe invention will befapparent from the following description and drawingsand will be particularly pointed out inthe -appendedclaims` Referring to the figures of the drawings,

it willfbe fnotedithatl have disclosed my invent'ion in` connection with a truss typeof brake beam including; a compression mem-` ber 10; a tension-member 11 and fulcrum 12 extending therebetween.

Referring particularly to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings,v it will be, noted that theV fulcrum includes amain body portion 13 having spaced` arms 14 between which a vbrakel lever, not shown,` may be `pivotally o Thel rear endl of these arms| mounted. 14 are integrally connected by a crosspiece 15 from which extends .an :integral projection 16. This projection extends through an opening 17 in vthe web v18 ofy the compression'member 10 and is upset to 'form la 'head l19. -The opposite sides of the web v,18 'of the compression member are clamped between the cross-piece l-;and the head 19 for'preventing any lost inotion'between the compression member and fulcrumv longitudinally of the latter, and for yieldably holding the reversible fulcrum invits different adj usted positions. Suiicient play,

'howeven is provided) between the. walls .of

theV openingl'? and the' projection. 16` to' preventany binding action,

This' `main body portion theafulcrum preferablyr.is' folrged'so that it' maybeV easily `j reformed in the event that it becomes distorted and may take a standard form while various types of tension rod saddles may be secured thereto. In the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2 the tension rod saddle 20 is provided with an opening 21 in alignment with an opening 22 in the forward part of the fulcrum body 13, a rivet 28 being passed through said openings and having the heads 211 and 25 at the topposite ends thereof for clamping together the fulcrum body 13 and saddle 20 for assisting in maintaining the fulcrum bracket in its adjusted position and eliminating any lost motion between the parts longitudinally of the fulcrum body. tween the walls of the openings 21 and 22 and the rivet 23 to prevent any binding therebetween.

T0 limit the reversble movements of the There is sufiicient clearance be-V`` fulcrum body 13 the cross-piece 15 is provided with anffular extension portions 26 which engage tIie fianges 27 and 28 of the compression member, as shown particularly in Figure 4.

If it is desired to have a slightly freer rotation between the fulcrum body and compression member the same may be accomplished by providing a washer 29 between the cross-piece member 15 and the web 18 of the compression member, as shown in Figure' of the drawings. The same resu-lt maybe accomplished by providing a washer 30 between the web 18 and the head 19, as shown in Figure 6. In both instances the washer is mounted over the projection 16.

In Figure 7 a separate rivet 31 is shown to pivotally connect the web 18 of the compression member and the fulcrum body 13.

Following` out the arrangement shown in Figures 5 and 6, a washer 32 may be provided on the rivet 23, as shown in F ig. 8, engaging either the tension rod saddle or the fulcrum body for making rotation of the fulcrum body a little freer than otherwise would be the case.

In Figure 9 a modification is shown in which the front end of the fulcrum body 13 is provide-d with an integrally formed projection 33 which extends into a pocket 34: formed in the tension rod saddle 35,

there being no riveting of parts, as shown in the other figures of the drawings. The Converse arrangement is shown in Figure 10, in which a tension rod saddle 36 is provided with a projection 37 which extends through an opening 38 in the front end of the fulcrum body 13.

By means of the Various arrangements here shown the main fulcrum body, which is reversible andlimited in its reversible movements, is clamped in a manner to prevent lost motion longitudinally of the fulcrum body and held in its Various adjusted positions to meet the various requirements for successful commercial use.

It is my intention to cover all modifications of the invention falling within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a brake beam, the combination of tension and compression members, a reversible fulcrum body automatically having pivotal relationship with both of said members, one of said pivotal connections including' a projection integrally formed with said fulcrumed body and extending through the compression member and having clamping engagement therewith for' eliminating lost motion longitudinally of said fulcrum body.

2. In a brake beam, the combination of tension and compression members, a reversible fulcrum body automatically havingpivotal relationship with both of said members, one of said pivotal connections including a projection integrally formed with said fulcrum body and extending through the compression member and having clamping engagement therewith for eliminating lost motion longitudinally of the fulcrum body, and means for limiting reversible movements of the reversible fulcrum body.

3. In a brake beam, the combination of a compression member, a tenslon member, av

reversible fulcrum body automatically having plvotal relationship w1tl1 said compression and tension members, one end of the Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 9th day4 of August, 1921.

WILLIAM o. Hans-coon 

